2007 The Zanchetta Brothers

“A multi part Italian mystery (similar to the previous on 6 months earlier), quest, mixed reality game which saw participants working together for the first time in an inextricably linked, parallel Second Life plus real life in surrounds around Freycinet Lodge. This included a virtual replica of the lodge itself built by Gary on site. After the usual random puzzle to create the teams we went into a quest for clues and credits (gold coins, codes etc) in both Second Life and a nearby forest so they could continue to part three. The teams talked on walkie talkies as they found locations in Second Life which mirrored hidden clues around the lodge, in the walkways along the coast and the long pier. This finished with an exercise to buy props for a presentation and work together to create a story incorporating as many elements as they could. As many people had been awake since 4am to get flights from other parts of Australia, the game functioned to revitalise people and set the mood for the next five days of the lab. (Catherine Gleeson did film a great edgy, infrared video of this game that lasted about two hours, into the darkness but sadly it was deleted by John Buchanan of Carnegie Mellon during the week!”

USER JOURNEY:

Level 1 – Introduction

Jackie oulined the call to action.

“The Freycinet area has a rich history. Today I’m going to tell you about two Italian brothers who tried to make their fortune here. Their names were Mario and Biagio Zanchetta and in 1933 they applied for a permit to quarry pink granite. For a while their business was successful and the Zanchetta pink granite was highly sought after. If you tour the famous landmarks of Italy you can see examples of the beautiful stone. However October dark night a strange electrical disturbance was recorded in this area and the next day the Zanchettas abruptly closed down their granite business. No-one knows why. Your job today is to work together in teams to explore the Italian Connection to the Freycinet Peninsula and complete the Zanchetta’s mysterious story. To begin, please assemble In Breakout Room #2 where you will be assigned your teams”.

KEY RW=Real World VW=Virtual World

Level 1 – Puzzles

RW: Teams are allocated by puzzle pieces and solve the anagram of the Italian city to find which computer to go to.

Back of the puzzle is text: “We come from a distant city, well known to all. It’s a mixed up kind of place but once you know it, it’s easy to love. Go to the computer with the name of the city“

And one of four city anagrams:

1. Ram Icy Foot (City of Roma)

2. Foamy Tin Coil (City of Milano)

3. Finality Coop (City of Napoli)

4. Yurt Fiction (City of Turin)

Level 2 – Second Life/Gold Coins

The teams find the relevant computer and discover they have one avatar in Second Life in a coastal area.

VW: An introduction sentinal directs them on their way through an arch and along a coastal walk across bridges etc:

Once they get to the fourth sentinel they read the following message:

RW: “From here you need to split up. Some of you go to the wooded clearing to find gold coins hidden amongst the trees. Turn left outside this room and walk through the petanque area and along the path to where the Zanchetta grave marker is. Collect as many gold coins as you can in 20 minutes, then come back and join your team. The rest of the group needs to find the resting place of Maria Zanchetta. Be quick – you only have 20 minutes.”

VW: “The Zanchetta Graveyard”

On a ‘paper’ label on each of the four computer screens is the City Name and the Ancestor Name RIP:

1. Manuela Zanchetta

2. Michelangelo Zanchetta

3. Massimo Zanchetta

4. Maria Zanchetta

They navigate around a foggy, confused virtual graveyard that they have arrived at in Second Life, looking for their ancestor name and getting another directional clue. This leads them on a long walk around the island to lead them underwater. They open a treasure chest next to a circling shark in Second Life, the directions read:

“CAPO is the nickname I gave Mario – it means Chief. Some of you take this nickname and three of the gold coins to the bar where the bartender has something for you. The rest of you wait underwater for your next instruction”.

Gatekeeper: Kit from Bartender

RW: Once they have given the code and gold coins to bartender, he/she gives them a GAME KIT that contains:

Name of the Team in COLOUR code

Torch (1), Set of walkie talkies, Glo necklaces (6), Museli Bars (6)

Instructions that read:

VW: “You are the COLOUR team. Walk up the ramp (In Second Life) into the glass dome and click on the Pink Granite Monolith.”

Level 3 – SL/RL Treasure Hunt for Story Fragments

Clicking on the monolith teleports them to a canyon with another treasure chest in it. Clicking on it reveals the following message

““Go to the lodge and add up the four pieces of the story to find the three digit number that opens this treasure chest. After you have all four story cards return to the treasure chest. Press chat and type in the numerical code. Start now, you have 30 minutes to complete this task!”

Hidden around the lodge in Second Life are COLOURED markers that indicate where four COLOURED story cards are hidden in real life. They use the walkie talkies to guide members of your team to the card locations.

They don’t yet have the code so make their way to a re-creation of the pier/deck area outside the Lodge. The team on the computer locate the coloured markers in SL and using the walkie talkies direct the team outside to the same spots where a story card is hidden.

RW: The story fragments are parts of a paragraph of four very different stories, in subject and styles. Each one has a number on it and all four stories add up to 739 (treasure chest code). The stories are as follows, each in four line/fragments:

1 – Tragic love Biagio had shared everything with his brother but he couldn’t share her. For the first time in their lives they refused to speak to each other. Manuela couldn’t stand the guilt of being the cause of this terrible rift. Mario found her body, her long blonde hair gently waving in the icy current.

2 – Murder At 22:14 on the night of October 23rd we received a call from one Mario Zanchetta. When we arrived on the scene, we discovered the body of a 47 year old man, identified as Michelangelo Zanchetta, a granite buyer from France and the Zanchetta’s second cousin. Michelangelo was doing business in the area with another granite supplier but his body was found in the Zanchetta mine. His death is classified as suspicious and Mario and Biagio Zanchetta are now helping us with our investigation.

3 – Aliens Dearest Mama, I have terrible news. Biagio has been taken to a psychiatric hospital, suffering from grand delusions. He claims to have been visited by tiny red aliens from a distant planet who have been sent by Uncle Massimo. His electric treatment starts tomorrow and I will write as soon as I know more, your loving son, Mario.

4 – Accident The rocks are pink at my house, Mama and Papa dig the rocks out of the ground and sell them. I like it here but I wish there were other boys to play with, sometimes I get lonely I used to play with my cousin, Maria but she died in the accident. My Uncle and Aunty want to go back to Italy now but Mama says there’s nothing for any of us there.

VW: Once they have entered (by typing in chat to the treasure chest) the right code a notecard pops up:

“Bravo! You’ve done it. Don’t show or tell the other teams! Now take the “code”, to the bartender who will give you your final instruction. Well done, you are very close now!”

Number combinations that add up to 739:

1. 158 301 150 130

2. 76 176 237 250

3. 13 100 222 404

4. 5 123 125 486

Gatekeeper: Treasure Chest from Bartender

RW: Once they have given the password to bartender, he/she gives them a treasure chest that contains:

Three gold coins, Bar chit for a round of drinks, A note – “congratulations, you all deserve a drink!”

Instructions that read:

“Sit down with your team and create the story of what happened to the Zanchetta Brothers. Use your coins to purchase story elements from the props vendor, and if you need more coins, look back out in the clearing. Then, using all the elements of the game – puzzle image, city name, ancestor name, NAME, card story fragments, and props, create the end of the Zanchetta story. Your 3 – 5 minute story will be presented tomorrow morning at 9:00am sharp. Be creative – the best story wins a prize!”

Level 4 – Story Creation

Teams look for gold coins, purchase props (from a table set up with many interesting items, a mentor acts as difficult bartering sales person, each prop has a gold coin value marked on it) and spend half an hour over a drink, and over dinner later, coming up with a 3 minute presentation.

Level 5 – Presentation

Team presents stories which are judged by three of the mentors and the best team receives a prize.